System and Method to Provide File System Functionality Over a PCIe Interface

ABSTRACT

Techniques for providing file system functionality over a PCIe interface are disclosed. In some embodiments, the techniques may be realized as a method for providing file system functionality over a PCIe interface including receiving from a host device a storage command, specially devised for such a standard protocol, at a PCIe-based device controller, parsing, using at least one computer processor of the PCIe-based device controller, the storage command, traversing, using PCIe-based device controller, one or more portions of file system metadata of an associated storage media device, wherein the PCIe-based device controller is configured to traverse the one or more portions of file system metadata based on the parsed storage command independent of any subsequent communication with the host device, and returning data to the host device.

BACKGROUND

The Non-Volatile Memory express (NVMe) Specification is a specificationfor accessing solid-state devices (SSDs) and other target devicesattached through a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) bus.The Non-Volatile Memory express (NVMe) Specification defines a registerinterface, a command set, and memory structures including a single setof administrative command and completion queues and many sets ofoperational Input/Output (I/O) command and completion queues. However,the NVMe specification provides a block device interface and thus relieson the host resources for command and control to a degree which canpresent a bottleneck or chokepoint in system performance.

In a system that relies on the host to parse storage commands andtraverse file system metadata, the host's resource usages (especiallycomputation power/CPU and storage/Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM))may be an impediment to overall system performance. The overall latencyand throughput of the system can be bound by the capabilities of thehost, especially when a new generation of storage devices exhibittremendous performance improvement. Interface overhead during access toeach layer becomes detrimental to achieving improved performance.Additionally, because the host processes storage commands and traversesfile system metadata to identify the data responsive to the storagecommand, all file system metadata and data necessary to process thestorage command has to go across the PCIe interface to the Host. Therealso may be a waste of data traffic when storage media isbyte-addressable and metadata is handled in a block format.

In view of the foregoing, it may be understood that there may besignificant problems and shortcomings associated with currenttechnologies for providing storage access functionality over a PCIeinterface. Additionally, there may be shortcomings with futurebyte-addressable storage technologies.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Techniques for providing file system functionality over a PCIe interfaceare disclosed. In some embodiments, the techniques may be realized as amethod for providing file system functionality over a PCIe interfaceincluding receiving from a host device a data access command at aPCIe-based device controller, parsing, using at least one computerprocessor of the PCIe-based device controller, the storage command,traversing, using PCIe-based device controller, one or more portions offile system metadata of an associated storage media device, wherein thePCIe-based device controller is configured to traverse the one or moreportions of file system metadata based on the parsed storage commandindependent of any subsequent communication with the host device, andreturning data to the host device.

In accordance with additional aspects of this embodiment, providing filesystem functionality over a PCIe interface may include implementing adevice driver.

In accordance with further aspects of this embodiment, the device drivermay be implemented at a level between a virtual file system interfaceand the associated storage media device. For example, a device drivermay be implemented between a virtual file system of a Linux (or otherUnix variant) and an associated storage media device.

In accordance with additional aspects of this embodiment, the devicedriver may present the associated storage media device as a mount pointto a system on the host device.

In accordance with further aspects of this embodiment, traversing of oneor more portions of file system metadata of an associated storage mediadevice may include using file system metadata to identify a reference toa block, or a non-blocked data segment, associated with the storagecommand.

In accordance with additional aspects of this embodiment, a reference toa block may include a Relative Block Address (RBA), whereas a referenceto a non-blocked data segment may include a Relative Byte Address (alsoRBA).

In accordance with further aspects of this embodiment, the associatedstorage media device may include a byte addressing capable storage mediadevice.

In accordance with additional aspects of this embodiment, returning datato the host device may include returning one or more selected bytes, ablock, or blocks in response to the storage command.

In accordance with further aspects of this embodiment, the byteaddressing capable storage media device may include at least one of: PCMmemory, MRAM, ReRAM, NOR Flash, and power-backed DRAM.

In accordance with additional aspects of this embodiment, file systemfunctionality of the PCIe-based device controller may provide thetransfer of data from a first PCIe device to a second PCIe devicewithout requiring communication outside a PCIe network or switchconnecting the first PCIe device and the second PCIe device.

In accordance with further aspects of this embodiment, the device drivermay provide a block device interface.

In accordance with additional aspects of this embodiment, the devicedriver may provide a character device interface.

In accordance with further aspects of this embodiment, techniques mayinclude using memory on the PCIe-based device controller as a buffer forfile system metadata.

In accordance with additional aspects of this embodiment, the hostdevice may include at least one of: an enterprise server, a databaseserver, a workstation, and a computer.

In accordance with further aspects of this embodiment, communicationbetween the device driver and the PCIe may be implemented using astandardized protocol.

In accordance with further aspects of this embodiment, the standardizedprotocol may include one or more of a specialized command set, registerinterface, and a memory structure to facilitate data exchange betweenthe host and the device.

In other embodiments, the techniques may be realized as a computerprogram product comprised of a series of instructions executable on acomputer. The computer program product may perform a process forproviding file system functionality over a PCIe interface. The computerprogram may implement the steps of receiving from a host device astorage command at a PCIe-based device controller, parsing, using atleast one computer processor of the PCIe-based device controller, thestorage command, traversing, using PCIe-based device controller, one ormore portions of file system metadata of an associated storage mediadevice, wherein the PCIe-based device controller is configured totraverse the one or more portions of file system metadata based on theparsed storage command independent of any subsequent communication withthe host device, and returning data to the host device.

In yet other embodiments, the techniques may be realized as a system forproviding file system functionality over a PCIe interface. The systemmay include a storage media device and a PCIe-based device controllerassociated with the storage media device. The PCIe-based devicecontroller may be configured to receive a storage command from a hostdevice, parse the storage command, traverse one or more portions of filesystem metadata of the associated storage media device based on theparsed storage command independent of any subsequent communication withthe host device, and return data to the host device.

In accordance with additional aspects of this embodiment, providing filesystem functionality over a PCIe interface may include implementing adevice driver at a level between a virtual file system and theassociated storage media device.

In accordance with further aspects of this embodiment, the storage mediadevice may include a byte addressing capable storage media device.

In accordance with additional aspects of this embodiment, returning datato the host device may include returning one or more selected bytes, ablock, or blocks in response to the storage command.

The present disclosure will now be described in more detail withreference to exemplary embodiments thereof as shown in the accompanyingdrawings. While the present disclosure is described below with referenceto exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the presentdisclosure is not limited thereto. Those of ordinary skill in the arthaving access to the teachings herein will recognize additionalimplementations, modifications, and embodiments, as well as other fieldsof use, which are within the scope of the present disclosure asdescribed herein, and with respect to which the present disclosure maybe of significant utility.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to facilitate a fuller understanding of the present disclosure,reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which likeelements are referenced with like numerals. These drawings should not beconstrued as limiting the present disclosure, but are intended to beexemplary only.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram depicting a plurality of PCIe devices incommunication with a host device, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram illustrating file system functionalityover a PCIe interface in a traditional system environment.

FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram illustrating file system functionalityover a PCIe interface, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 4 depicts a flowchart illustrating providing file systemfunctionality over a PCIe interface, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 5 depicts a module for providing file system functionality over aPCIe interface, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram illustrating an implementation of adevice driver, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 7 depicts communication routes between PCIe devices, in accordancewith an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 depicts layers of a PCIe storage stack, in accordance with anembodiment of the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to peer-to-peer PCIe storage transfer.Typically only a PCIe system's host CPU is capable of parsing storagecommands and traversing file system metadata. The overall latency andthroughput of the system may be restricted by the capabilities of thehost and communication between the host and the device.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods whichimplement file system, and possibly block layer functions (e.g., in thefirmware or hardware of SSD controllers), for improved performance of alocally attached I/O device. Applications can access storage devicesthrough a mount point. A device driver, below a Virtual File System(VFS), can pass command and data back and forth between host anddevices.

The controller can interpret a file system command and finish metadatatraversal and data access on storage media. Data structures in hostmemory (e.g., shared) can be employed to provide coherence, managementand accounting assistance. A communication protocol can be defined overPCIe to exchange command and data between a host and a device.

Systems and method of the embodiment delegate some host functionality tomore and more powerful devices, which can better utilize nextgeneration, byte-addressable non-volatile memory device. The scheme canreduces overhead incurred when crossing PCIe interface.

Embodiments of the disclosure reduce or eliminate involvement of a hostin parsing and processing storage commands as well as traversing filesystem metadata over a PCIe interface.

Potential applications include improved performance storage transfers aswell as peer-to-peer storage transfers. Techniques for providing filesystem functionality over a PCIe interface are discussed in furtherdetail below.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting a PCIedevice in communication with a host device, in accordance with anembodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 includes a number ofcomputing technologies such as a host system 102, host CPU 104, and PCIexpress root complex 106. PCI express switch 108 may communicativelycouple a plurality of targets (e.g., PCIe devices such as NVMe basedtargets) such as Targets 110, 116 and 122 to host system 102 via PCIexpress root complex 106.

Target 110 may contain NVMe controller 112 and non-volatile storage 114.Target 116 may contain NVMe controller 118 and non-volatile storage 120.Target 122 may contain NVMe controller 124 and non-volatile storage 126.

Memory based resources may be accessible to Host System 102 via a memoryinterface (e.g., double data rate type three synchronous dynamic randomaccess memory (DDR3 SDRAM)). Memory can take any suitable form, such as,but not limited to, a solid-state memory (e.g., flash memory, or solidstate device (SSD)), optical memory, and magnetic memory.

According to some embodiments, interfaces standards other than PCIe maybe used for one or more portions including, but not limited to, SerialAdvanced Technology Attachment (SATA), Advanced Technology Attachment(ATA), Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), PCI-extended (PCI-X),Fibre Channel, Serial Attached SCSI (SAS), Secure Digital (SD), EmbeddedMulti-Media Card (EMMC), and Universal Flash Storage (UFS).

The host system 102 can take any suitable form, such as, but not limitedto, an enterprise server, a database host, a workstation, a personalcomputer, a mobile phone, a game device, a personal digital assistant(PDA), an email/text messaging device, a digital camera, a digital media(e.g., MP3) player, a GPS navigation device, and a TV system.

The host system 102 and the target device can include additionalcomponents, which are not shown in FIG. 1 to simplify the drawing. Also,in some embodiments, not all of the components shown are present.Further, the various controllers, blocks, and interfaces can beimplemented in any suitable fashion. For example, a controller can takethe form of one or more of a microprocessor or processor and acomputer-readable medium that stores computer-readable program code(e.g., software or firmware) executable by the (micro)processor, logicgates, switches, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), aprogrammable logic controller, and an embedded microcontroller, forexample.

FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram illustrating traditional file systemfunctionality over a PCIe interface, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present disclosure. As depicted in FIG. 2, traditionally when anapplication 202 issues an application command 203 to storage layer 205(e.g., tries to access files or issue open, read, and write commands),the command may be processed by Host 210. Controller 220 will parse thecommands received over PCIe Interface 235 and fetch file system metadataand data from storage media 230. The file system metadata can be used byHost 210 to identify a location of data (e.g., by converting a filenameor inode to an address in storage such as a relative byte address(RBA)). As illustrated, the navigation of file system metadata (e.g.,metadata traversal 215) can require several passes back and forth acrossa PCIe interface 235 and memory interface 240 before Host 210 is able topass a location of data to Controller 220 to have data returned (e.g.,data returned 224) to Host 210 (e.g., results 225) and results 227 maybe returned to an application 202. As depicted in FIG. 3, by delegatingsome host functionality to the device processor a portion of the loadcan be shifted to with the PCIe device.

FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram illustrating file system functionalityover a PCIe interface, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure. When an application issues an application storage command(e.g., application storage command 305 to access files, open, read, andwrite files, etc.), application storage command 305 can be packaged andsent over the PCIe Interface 322 to the device (e.g., controller 315 andbyte-capable storage media 320 of the device). The file system and otherstorage kernels on the devices, which can be implemented in eitherfirmware or hardware, can parse the commands, prepare appropriateresponses, and send them back via Direct Memory Access (DMA) channels. Adriver may be implemented in between a Virtual File System (VFS) and aPCIe device which may handle the DMA memory management, synchronization,and other bookkeeping tasks. The driver may pass command and data backand forth between host 310 and devices (e.g., application storagecommand 305, data returned 312, and results 312). As illustrated in FIG.3, the metadata traversal 318 may be only between controller 315 andbyte-capable storage media 320 over memory interface 324. This mayreduce traffic and latency due to traversals over PCIe interface 322.Methods and systems of the present disclosure may work well with atraditional software stack, and may not require extensive change ofexisting designs. Methods and systems of the present disclosure mayresult in less cross PCIe traffic (e.g., across PCIe Interface 322) andhandshaking which may save time and reduce a processing burden on a host(e.g., host 310).

Methods and systems of the present disclosure may also allow storagedevice vendors to improve on-device design for improved data accessperformance. This may include less but more powerful data protection,adaptive coding schemes to overcome more errors, flexible data layoutand format to save metadata space, and other improvements.

Methods and systems of the present disclosure may additionallyfacilitate peer-to-peer data exchange with less involvement of a hostand reduced overhead.

Methods and systems of the present disclosure may further allow for moreefficient metadata traversal when metadata is stored on byte-addressablenon-volatile memory (e.g., PCM memory (phase change memory), MRAM(Magnetoresistive random-access memory), ReRAM (Resistive random-accessmemory), NOR Flash, and power-backed DRAM (Dynamic random-accessmemory)). Byte addressable memory may allow only a portion of metadataneeded to be retrieved (e.g., one or more bytes) instead of an entireblock. Byte addressable memory may also allow only a portion of dataneeded to be retrieved instead of an entire block. This can provide animproved traversal and retrieval of data.

FIG. 4 depicts a flowchart illustrating providing file systemfunctionality over a PCIe interface, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present disclosure. The process 400, however, is exemplary only. Theprocess 400 can be altered, e.g., by having stages added, changed,removed, or rearranged. At stage 402, the process may begin.

At stage 404, a storage command may be received at a PCIe-based devicecontroller from a host. The storage command may be to access a file,open a file, read a file, write to a file (etc.). At stage 406, thePCIe-based device controller may parse the received storage command atthe PCIe device. For example, a System on a Chip (SoC), a processor,logic gates, switches, an application specific integrated circuit(ASIC), a programmable logic controller, an embedded microcontroller orother hardware of a PCIe device may parse the storage command.

At stage 408, a PCIe device (e.g., a controller component) may traversefile system metadata related to a parsed storage command. Traversing thefile system metadata may involve receiving a filename and navigating thefile system to identify an address of data in storage of requested data.The file system metadata can be used by the PCIe device to identify alocation of data in response to the command (e.g., by converting ortraversing from a filename through a directory structure to an inode andto an address in storage such as a relative byte address (RBA)).

At stage 410, it may be determined whether memory is available as abuffer on storage media associated with the PCIe device. If space isavailable for use as a buffer on associated storage media, the method400 may continue at stage 414. If space is not available for use as abuffer on associated storage media, the method 400 may continue at stage412.

At stage 412, buffer space may be used on a PCIe device (e.g., in memoryassociated with the controller). This may facilitate traversal ofmetadata and lessen a need to go across a PCIe interface to use Hostresources and buffer space.

At stage 414, buffer space may be used on storage media associated witha PCIe device. This may facilitate traversal of metadata and lessen aneed to go across a PCIe interface to use Host resources and bufferspace.

At stage 416, it may be determined whether associated storage media isbyte addressable. If the associated storage media is byte addressable,then file system metadata and other data fetched in response to astorage command may contain only the bytes necessary to respond to thestorage command at stage 420. If the associated storage media is notbyte addressable, then the blocks responsive to the storage mediacommand may be transferred at stage 418.

At stage 422, it may be determined whether there is additional filesystem metadata to traverse in response to a storage command. If thereis additional file system metadata to traverse, the method 400 maycontinue at stage 408. If there is no additional file system metadata totraverse the method 400 may continue at stage 424.

At stage 424, data may be returned to the host in response to thestorage command. In some embodiments, data may be returned via DirectMemory Access (DMA) channels.

At stage 426, the method 400 may end.

FIG. 5 depicts modules for providing file system functionality over aPCIe interface, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 5, file system functionality modules510 may contain command parsing module 512, metadata traversal module514, memory management and synchronization module 516, and error loggingand reporting module 518.

Command parsing module 512 may receive, parse, and process one or morestorage commands from a host. Command parsing module 512 may reside on aPCIe device such as for example on a SoC of a PCIe device. Commandparsing module 512 may work with metadata traversal module 514 toidentify data in response to a storage command.

Metadata traversal module 514 may fetch file system metadata and datafrom associated storage media. The file system metadata can be used toidentify a location of data (e.g., by converting a filename or inode toan address in storage such as a relative byte address (RBA)).

Memory management and synchronization module 516 may facilitate DMAmemory management, synchronization, and other bookkeeping tasks,including authorization and authentication, etc. In some embodiments,part of memory management and synchronization module 516 may beimplemented as a driver in between a Virtual File System (VFS) and aPCIe device.

Error logging and reporting module 518 may trap errors and log errorsassociated with implementing file system functionality over a PCIeinterface. In some embodiments, error logging and reporting module 518may provide notifications of errors. In one or more embodiments, errorlogging and reporting module 518 may provide fall back functionalityallowing a host to resume responsibility for one or more operations(e.g., command parsing, traversal of metadata, etc.) in the event of anerror.

FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram illustrating an implementation of adevice driver, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure. As depicted in FIG. 6, an Application 610 may reside in userspace above kernel space of an operating system. Kernel space maycontain a Virtual File System (VFS) 620.

Driver 640 may be implemented between VFS 620 and device 670. Driver 640may handle DMA memory management, synchronization, and other bookkeepingtasks. Driver 640 may pass command and data back and forth between hostand devices. Memory 630 may be shared between VFS 620 and driver 640.

Device 670 may be a PCIe device and may contain SoC 650, storage media680, and, optionally, memory 660. SoC 650 may be a System on a Chip(SoC), a processor, logic gates, switches, an application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic controller, an embeddedmicrocontroller or other hardware of a PCIe device. SoC 650 mayimplement one or more aspects of file system functionality on a PCIedevice such as, for example, file system management, translation, andmedia management. Storage media 680 may include one or more of PCMmemory, MRAM, ReRAM, NOR Flash, and power-backed DRAM. Other byteaddressing capable or block addressing capable storage may be used. Insome embodiments, NAND Flash-like block storage media may be used.

FIG. 7 depicts communication routes between PCIe devices, in accordancewith an embodiment of the present disclosure. As depicted in FIG. 7,there may be several possible routes between PCIe devices such as device720 and device 730. Route 740 may involve communication that involves aHost CPU 710 and potential resources of a host such as main memory 755and a shared memory bus. This may impact host performance and mayincrease latency as communications traverse off of a PCIe network andback. Route 745 may be independent of a Host CPU 710 may use sharedresources such as a memory bus and may require communication outside ofa PCIe network. Route 750 may require file system functionality such asthat described in the present disclosure. However, route 750 may permitcommunication between devices 720 and 730 within a PCIe network withoutrequiring Host resources.

FIG. 8 depicts layers of a PCIe storage stack, in accordance with anembodiment of the present disclosure. As depicted in FIG. 8,applications 802, 804, and 806 may logically reside above system callinterface 808. System call interface 808 may reside above Virtual FileSystem (VFS) 810. An interface driver 812 may be provided between VFS810 and device 814. In some embodiments, interface driver 812 maypresent an associated storage media device as a mount point to anapplication on the host device via file system 822. In some embodiments,interface driver 812 may provide a block layer interface 816 to anassociated storage media device. A block layer interface may includerequest scheduler 818. In one or more embodiments, the device driver mayprovide a character device interface 820. Character device interface 820and block layer interface 816 may provide backwards capability.

In some embodiments, device 814 may be a byte capable storage mediadevice including byte capable storage 824. For example, the byte capablestorage media device may be at least one of: PCM memory, MRAM, ReRAM,NOR Flash, and power-backed DRAM. A byte capable media device may becapable returning one or more selected bytes, a block, or blocks of datain response to the storage command. In some embodiments, NAND Flash-likeblock storage media may be used.

Other embodiments are within the scope and spirit of the invention. Forexample, the functionality described above can be implemented usingsoftware, hardware, firmware, hardwiring, or combinations of any ofthese. One or more computer processors operating in accordance withinstructions may implement the functions associated with providing filesystem functionality over a PCIe interface in accordance with thepresent disclosure as described above. If such is the case, it is withinthe scope of the present disclosure that such instructions may be storedon one or more non-transitory processor readable storage media (e.g., amagnetic disk or other storage medium). Additionally, modulesimplementing functions may also be physically located at variouspositions, including being distributed such that portions of functionsare implemented at different physical locations.

The present disclosure is not to be limited in scope by the specificembodiments described herein. Indeed, other various embodiments of andmodifications to the present disclosure, in addition to those describedherein, will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from theforegoing description and accompanying drawings. Thus, such otherembodiments and modifications are intended to fall within the scope ofthe present disclosure. Further, although the present disclosure hasbeen described herein in the context of a particular implementation in aparticular environment for a particular purpose, those of ordinary skillin the art will recognize that its usefulness is not limited thereto andthat the present disclosure may be beneficially implemented in anynumber of environments for any number of purposes. Accordingly, theclaims set forth below should be construed in view of the full breadthand spirit of the present disclosure as described herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for providing file system functionalityover a PCIe interface comprising: receiving from a host device a storagecommand at a PCIe-based device controller; parsing, using at least onecomputer processor of the PCIe-based device controller, the storagecommand; traversing, using PCIe-based device controller, one or moreportions of file system metadata of an associated storage media device,wherein the PCIe-based device controller is configured to traverse theone or more portions of file system metadata based on the parsed storagecommand independent of any subsequent communication with the hostdevice; and returning data associated with the storage command to thehost device.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing file systemfunctionality over a PCIe interface comprises implementing a devicedriver.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the device driver isimplemented at a level between a virtual file system and the associatedstorage media device.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the devicedriver presents the associated storage media device as a mount point toan application on the host device.
 5. The method of claim 1, whereintraversing of one or more portions of file system metadata of anassociated storage media device comprises using file system metadata toidentify a reference to a data segment associated with the storagecommand.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the reference comprises atleast one of a relative block address and a relative byte address. 7.The method of claim 1, wherein the associated storage media devicecomprises a byte addressing capable storage media device.
 8. The methodof claim 7, wherein returning data to the host device comprisesreturning one or more selected bytes, a block, or blocks in response tothe storage command.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the byteaddressing capable storage media device comprises at least one of: PCMmemory, MRAM, ReRAM, NOR Flash, and power-backed DRAM.
 10. The method ofclaim 1, wherein file system functionality of the PCIe-based devicecontroller provides the transfer of data from a first PCIe device to asecond PCIe device without requiring communication outside a PCIenetwork connecting the first PCIe device and the second PCIe device. 11.The method of claim 2, wherein the device driver provides a block driverinterface.
 12. The method of claim 2, wherein the device driver providesa character device interface.
 13. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising using memory on the PCIe-based device controller as a bufferfor file system metadata.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the hostdevice comprises at least one of: an enterprise server, a databaseserver, a workstation, and a computer.
 15. The method of claim 2,wherein communication between the device driver and the PCIe-baseddevice controller is implemented using a standardized protocol.
 16. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the protocol includes one or more of: aspecialized command set, a format, a register interface, and a memorystructure.
 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more portionsof file system metadata are adapted to byte addressing capable storage.18. A computer program product comprised of a series of instructionsexecutable on a computer, the computer program product performing aprocess for providing file system functionality over a PCIe interface;the computer program implementing the steps of: receiving from a hostdevice a storage command at a PCIe-based device controller; parsing,using at least one computer processor of the PCIe-based devicecontroller, the storage command; traversing, using PCIe-based devicecontroller, one or more portions of file system metadata of anassociated storage media device, wherein the PCIe-based devicecontroller is configured to traverse the one or more portions of filesystem metadata based on the parsed storage command independent of anysubsequent communication with the host device; and returning dataassociated with the storage command to the host device.
 19. A system forproviding file system functionality over a PCIe interface, the systemcomprising: a storage media device; a PCIe-based device controllerassociated with the storage media device, wherein the PCIe-based devicecontroller is configured to: receive from a storage command from a hostdevice; parse the storage command; traverse one or more portions of filesystem metadata of the associated storage media device based on theparsed storage command independent of any subsequent communication withthe host device; and return data associated with the storage command tothe host device.
 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the providing filesystem functionality over a PCIe interface comprises implementing adevice driver at a level between a virtual file system and theassociated storage media device.
 21. The system of claim 19, wherein thestorage media device comprises a byte addressing capable storage mediadevice.
 22. The system of claim 19, wherein returning data to the hostdevice comprises returning one or more selected bytes, a block, orblocks of data in response to the storage command.